Berry gatherer



May 19, 1931. E. HOLMGREN BERRY GATHERER Filed May 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l lllllllll l //v VE/V TOR 570 /7o/mgr en 51/ Afforn ey May 19, 1931. E. HOLMGREN BERRX GATHERER Filed May 4, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v VE/V TOR 570 fia/mgr en 1% WM Afforney Patented May 19, 1931 UNITED STATES ELOF HOLMG-REN, OF RED DEER, ALBERTA, CANADA BERRY GATHERER Application filed May 4, 1928. Serial K0. 275,153.

This present invention relates to new and useful improvements in a berry gatherer and has for its primary object the provision of a simple and inexpensive construction which is 6 highly efiicient in use and may be employed by an inexperienced person for rapidly gathering the berries from the bushes with the minimum danger of injury to the berries.

7 Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a berry gatherer of the character stated which is composed of the Ininimum number of parts produced in blank form from sheet metal and bent to form the body or box and the other parts of the structure.

A further object of theinvention resides in the production of a berry gatherer of the character stated whichincludes a series of parallel forwardlyv directed and upwardly curved fingers constituting the bottom of the 90 body or box and formed with the remainder thereof, when stamping the body or box blank.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a berry gatherer of the character stated which is constructed from blanks formed in such a manner as to reduce to the minimum the amount of soldering required and the securing members employed for securing the parts together. I

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a berry gatherer of the character stated including a special, simple form of adjustable handle which may be readily adjusted across the body or box and regulated to suit the hand of the operator, as desired. I

To the accomplishment of these and related objects, as will become apparent as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts asshall be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended. v

The invention will be best understood and can be more clearly described when reference is had to the drawings forming a part of this disclosure, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan of the blank for the body or box of the structure;

Figure 2 is a perspective of the inclined guard forlocation in the body or box;

Figure 3 is a perspective of the completed structure;

F ignre 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through the structure shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a detail section illustrating the H manner of fastening the rear end of the flexible handle;

Figure 6 is a similar view, illustrating the manner of fastening the forward end of the flexible handle; and,

Figure'7 is adetail transverse section of one of the berry gathering fingers.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, it

is to be noted that the elongated body or box blank is formed so that nearly one half thereof constitutes the top 11 of the body or box and has a flange 12 extended from itsfree end to be bent in and under, to form a smooth forward edge for the top 11. This half of the blank is much wider than the remainder v thereof, to provide on either side, the body or box'sides 13, having rounded rear ends and tapered, pointed forward ends. A series of short flanges 14 are provided along the rounded rear ends of the sides 13, while a single long flange 15 extends along the lower edges thereof, and flanges 16 are provided along the upper inclined edges of said sides 13. All of the flanges 1 1, 15, and 16 are adapted to be turned in. Each side 13 also has provided therein a pair of spaced rivet openings 17, the purpose of which will presently appear. Two pairs of short slots 18 are located near one end of the top 11, the pairs of slots 18 diverging toward the adjacent corners of the top 11. Near the other end of the top 11, a transverse slot 19 isprovided, with the ends thereof turned inwardly at an angle. The slot 19 and thepairs of slots 18 serve to receive the handle end members, as will be later described. The central portion of the blank is plain and is adapted to be curved'longitudinally to form the curved, inclined back 20 of the body or box. The remainder of the blank is divided by parallel, spaced slots 21directed inwardly from the free end thereof, Themalower edge of the guard plate 23 and is provided with spaced finger openings 27 through which the fingers 22 are extended and thus supported firmly, forwardly of the central portions thereof.

To further retain the fingers firmly in position, with their forward ends given a gradual upward curve, the outermost or side fingers 22 are enclosed in the flanges 15, rolled therearound. In completing the back or rear end of the body or box, the back 20 is secured on the inturned flanges 17, by soldering or other means.

An adjustable, flexible handle 28 extends longitudinally or diagonally over the top of the bodyor box and has one end looped and threaded through the transverse slot 29 in the handle holding member 80. Elongated side flanges 31 depend from the opposite side edges of the member 30 with their forward long ends having bevelled lower edges; while the rear short ends have bevelled upper edges extending slightly under the rear side of the member 30. It is apparent that the member 30 may be readily inserted and locked in the selected pair of slots 18, or removed therei from, as desired. The other end of the adj ustable, flexible handle 28 is bent upon itself and secured in the sliding channel handle holding member 33 which has its upstanding edges rolled back, in opposite directions, above the upper or outer face of the body or box top, while the main portion of the mem ber 32 rides against the under or lower face of the top, as the member 32 is adjusted in the transverse slot 19 to change the position of the adjustable, flexible handle 28.

As the construction of the device has thus been described in detail, brief reference is now had to its use and modus operandi: The hand of the operator is engaged beneath the handle 28 and the thumb and fingers of the hand employed to hold the body or box in such a manner that with each forward move- ,ment of the same, the fingers 22 may be engaged on opposite sides ofthe stems of the berries and the stems thus broken, as the berries slide inwardly on the fingers 22. By tilting the forward end of the body or box upwardly, the berries thus gathered will be directed over the inclined guard plate 23 and into the main portion ofthe body or box.

165 When it is desired to empty the body or box,

it is only necessary to invert the body or box and lower the forward end, thus permitting the berries to discharge therefrom, without interference from the guard plate 23. If the member 30 should tend to offer any interference to the discharging of the berries from within the body or box, the member 30 may be readily removed for this operation and again replaced, after the body or box has been emptied. It is further apparent that the position of the handle, as well as the length thereof, may be adjusted, as desired, to accommodate the hand of the operator, or the structure for the handle may be reversed, end for end. The body sides have longitudinal, inwardly pressed portions, near their upper edges so that the thumb and fingers of the operator may obtain a better grip on the sides of the body, during use of the berry gatherer.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be manifest that aberry gatherer is provided that will fulfill all the necessary requirements of such a device, but as many changes could be made in the above description and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention may be c0nstructed within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it. isintended that all matters contained in the said accompanying specification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a'limited sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A berry gatherer including a one piece body having a transverse curved slot in one end portion of the top thereof; said top also having pairs of short parallel slots in its opposite end portion and directed toward the corners thereof; the sides of the body having longitudinal inwardly pressed portions near the upper edges thereof; a longitudinally adjustable flexible handle; a handle end member carried on said handle and adjustable in said transverse curved slot; a second handle member carried on the other end of said handle. and removably engaged in one of said pairs of slots; the bottom of said body being divided into a plurality of integral spaced fingers directed forwardly and curved upwardly at their free ends; and a rearwardly inclined guard plate mounted on said fingers within said body.

'2. A berry gatherer including a body having a bottom formed integral with the top, sides and rear end thereof; integral hollow cylindrical spaced parallel fingers projecting from the lower edge of said end forwardly past the open forward end of the said body; a rearwardly inclined guard plate on the upper face of said fingers with its upper edge spaced from the said top of the body and its llO side edges flanged and secured to the inner faces of the said body sides; and a flexible handle adjustably mounted on the said top of the body.

3. A berry gatherer including a single section body divided into a fiat top, straight sides with inwardly pressed portions; a vertically curved rearwardly inclined rear end, and a bottom; said top having a flange at its forward edge; said sides having flanges along their rounded rear edges, their lower edges and their inclined forward edges; said rear end being extended from the rear edge of said top; said bottom being extended from the lower edge of said rear end and divided into parallel spaced cylindrical hollow fingers; a rearwardly inclined side plate mounted on said fingers and secured to said side; said body having its forward end open; and a handle for said body.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

ELOF HOLMGREN. 

